


While Searching

by KatcadeCascade (DreamWings231)



Category: Coco (2017)
Genre: Family Angst, Family Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-04 00:14:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14007930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamWings231/pseuds/KatcadeCascade
Summary: "Do you think she did the right thing?"He says that almost as a whisper but to Rosa, it’s the most alarming thing that ever was said. The unofficial, unspoken rule of their household- of any household: Abuelita is always right.“Don’t,” she clears her throat, “Don’t say that.”





	While Searching

**Author's Note:**

> I've been watching Coco for the past three days.

There’s music all around Mexico so from time to time that manmade noise does slip into the Rivera household. More often than naught it comes from their young Miguel.

It is rather obvious that Miguel is enchanted by the mere thought of music but the moment his family sees him on the roof, shouting that he’s going to be a musician, holding a scrappy guitar that they knew that Abuelita Elena will not be happy.

The next moment the entire family is appalled and scolding Miguel for hording these memorabilia of some guy he claims is their forgotten great-great grandpa and… and… and then…

Abuelita Elena smashes the guitar.

That sound of _THUNK_ and _CLASH_ and _THINCK_ was the exact opposite of music and when Abuelita went to comfort Miguel, it made a sinking feeling inside their stomach because it matched the noise they heard.

Miguel ran off hating them.

Naturally the Rivera’s split up to search for him.

That’s where Miguel’s cousins, Rosa and Abel, find their selves, wandering the streets as it slowly gets darker. Eventually they reach one street that leads to Mariachi Plaza but their parents already took responsibility for searching there, still wanting their children to avoid music.

“You know,” Abel said, looking at the loud crowd, “He wasn’t that bad.”

“What are you talking about?” Rosa asked. She’s the one actually looking around for a red hoodie instead of standing aloof like her big brother.

“Miguel, when he had the guitar in his hands before…” He didn’t finish that sentence but he did walk closer to the Plaza.

If she concentrates hard enough, she could remember the few notes that Miguel played but that’s just it, some tiny sounds that barely qualified as music.

Rosa followed hesitantly, knowing they shouldn’t dare step foot anywhere near music. In fact she tugs on Abel’s green shirt before he gets closer. They stand there in a shadow of a building and even at the cusp of the Plaza, the music is loud and clear and rhythmic and something that the siblings were told to never listen to.

It’s the thing that Miguel risked his heart for despite their elder’s orders.

Abel huffed and pointed subtlety at the center, “I guess that’s what Miguel wanted to be.”

His sister peaks around him and sees the mariachi bands and other musicians in the gazebo being the loud and brash people Abuelita usually throws her _chanclas_ at. Rosa eyes the string instruments, imagining Miguel holding a proper guitar.

“This really makes him happy,” Rosa said.

“And Abuelita smashed the one thing that made him happy.” Abel looked down at her, “Do you think she did the right thing?”

He says that almost as a whisper but to Rosa, it’s the most alarming thing that ever was said. The unofficial, unspoken rule of their household- of _any_ household: Abuelita is always right.

“Don’t,” she clears her throat, “Don’t say that.”

“Why not?”

“Because! Because she’s Abuelita,” Rosa defends but she’s losing her own sureness the more they stick around the very thing Abuelita hates. It feels like their betraying her, you know what- they are betraying her. “Let’s leave already! We’re not supposed to be here.”

Her brother lets her tug him away, back to the quiet streets and she has to focus on their footfalls than the dwindling music- no the dwindling noise.

“I wonder how he held on to this without getting caught.” Abel walks her fast pace and he still has his head turned towards the Plaza. “He outright told us his passion and we kind of rejected him.”

“Kind of?” Rosa sarcastically asked. Her cousin was devastated and crying and exploded when Abuelita caressed his cheek. “He was really mad at us. We just stood there when it happened.”

“Yeah, Abuelita was really scary. I can’t believe she,” Abel shook his head, “I _can_ believe she would break a guitar but that was brutal.”   

“That must have been Miguel’s nightmare,” Rosa said timidly as they reached home.

Someone, likely Abuelita, had already cleaned up the mess of Miguel’s treasured secrets, like it never happened… like Miguel’s moment of being voiceless and dismissed of his joy never happened.

“I’m scared and worried for him, Abel.” Rosa sits at one of the tables, prepared for their feast but no one’s around. She thinks their Mom is taking care of the toddlers while everyone else is searching for Miguel.

“Me too,” Abel joins her, plopping sadly in his seat. “It’s already dark and what if we don’t find him?”

“He doesn’t want to be found. He doesn’t want to be a part of our family.” She doesn’t want to think of worst case scenarios. While Miguel can be frustrating and a bit of a hand full, he’s family and she cares about him. She doesn’t dare think of something else bring him misery.

All she has to do is playback the memory of Abuelita treating Miguel just like any other musician and boom, there’s the worst case scenario.

“I think this would’ve happen eventually.” Rosa explains, “Miguel’s love for music would’ve come around and be revealed and Abuelita would react poorly.”

“Do you think he’s that courageous?”

“He already is, he did it right there,” Rosa said, pointed at the spot where Abuelita created the horrible noise. She wonders where his courage has led him now.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Abel sighs, his posture deflating and oddly making him smaller than his body would allow. “Maybe Miguel’s right.”

She read between the lines.

Abuelita is wrong.

Her solution to bring Miguel closer to her did the opposite effect.

“I hope that he’s okay,” Rosa wished.

“Same here. I hope he’s able to change Abuelita’s mind.”

“Is that possible?”

Abel shrugged, “If it’s possible for a Rivera to love music than yeah.”

“But Abuelita’s,” Rosa grimaced, “um, she’s Abuelita.”

“And Miguel’s Miguel and they’re both family.” Abel kept fiddling with his hands, “And also I don’t think Miguel deserved what Abuelita did. We saw a literal division between us and Miguel and it was Abuelita that,” his voice got quieter, “that made things worse.”

Rosa couldn’t make the effort to dismiss his words. “How can we make things better?” As his little sister, it was natural for her to look up to him for help, mostly for reaching the top shelf but this time was serious.

“Well,” Abel thought, “when Miguel comes back, we’ll be on his side.”

“Like right in front of Abuelita?” She asked, very terrified of experiencing what Miguel went through.

Her brother probably has the same thoughts by the pale look on his face, “Hopefully no. I was thinking like just us listening to his music. I think that’s all that Miguel wanted. That and our support.”

“Yeah,” Rosa nodded, “Sounds like a good plan. When we see Miguel, we’ll support him. That’s what family is for.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Eh, this was on my mind for a bit and well I like to think this was the beginning thoughts for these two on getting the courage on picking up their instruments at the end of the movie.


End file.
